Centre de données sur le patrimoine naturel du Québec

Glossary

Animal assemblage

Concentration of animal species using the
same site for a phase of their life cycle (feeding,
reproduction, migration, hibernating, etc.), e.g. bird
colonies, bat or reptile hibernacula, concentrations of
migrating shorebirds, multispecific spawning grounds,
multispecific mussel habitats.

Biodiversity

Variety and abundance of living organisms
of all origins. This includes intra-species genetic
diversity, inter-species diversity and diversity of
ecosystems, whether land, aquatic or marine.

Conservation
Protection and maintenance, through a series of genetic
diversity measures of differing intensity, ofspecies,
ecosystems
and the evolutionary phenomena affecting them.

Dynamic set of plants, animals, micro-organisms, with their
non-living environment, that forms a functional unit.

(Element) Occurrence
Term used in the NatureServe CDC network to designate an
area (point or map polygon) in which an element of
biodiversity is, or was, present. An occurrence has a
conservation value (rank) for this element. For species, the
occurrence generally corresponds to the habitat occupied by
a local population of the species in question. What
constitutes an occurrence and the criteria used to assign
the related element occurrence rank varies depending on the
element of biodiversity under consideration. The occurrence
may correspond to a single map polygon (line or observation
point) or to a group of nearby polygons.

Element occurrence rank
The element occurrence rank assesses the estimated viability
and probability of persistence of the occurrences
of a given element. Eight basic EO ranks are used in
prioritizing EOs for conservation planning purposes: A:
excellent; B: good; C: fair; D: poor; E: verified extant
(viability not assessed); F: failed to find; H: historical;
X: extirpated. The basic "A" through "D" ranks are based on
currently known biological and habitat-related factors that
are used to estimate viability of an EO. The more viable an
EO is, the higher its EO rank and the higher its
conservation value. If an EO is not native or not natural in
origin, its origin status can be indicated through the use
of an origin status subrank: i: introduced; r:
reintroduced/restored.

Geomatics
Discipline that digitally manages
geographic data and uses the sciences and technologies
linked to their acquisition, storage, processing and
dissemination.

Natural community

Assemblage of plants and animals that
interact in space and time in a given ecological context.
The natural communities approach partially compensates for
the lack of sufficient species-related data. On land, it is
primarily plant associations that are used as the fine-scale
level for identifying natural communities. Occurrences of
rare communities and occurrences of common communities
considered exemplary or representative (high quality) are
tracked.

Population

All individuals of a given species
occupying a given territory presenting specific
characteristics and having genetic exchanges.

G-rank (global)

Rank assigned to an element based on its
rangewide conservation
status rank (G1 to G5, in decreasing order of priority).
Elements ranked G1, G2 or G3 are considered imperilled.
G-rank is assigned by NatureServe or the conservation data
centre responsible for the element in question.

N-rank (national)

Rank assigned to an element based on its
national conservation
status rank (N1 to N5, in decreasing order of priority).
Elements ranked N1, N2 or N3 are considered imperilled.

S-rank (subnational)

Rank assigned to element based on its
provincial or state conservation
status rank (S1 to S5, in decreasing order of priority.
Elements ranked S1, S2 or S3 are considered imperilled.

Site
Area grouping together one or more
occurrences defined on an ecological basis and used as a
reference for analyses designed to identify areas requiring
protection.

Species

A set of individuals sharing distinctive
characteristics likely to produce common, fertile
descendents. The notion of species is used in its broadest
sense here and refers not only to species proper but also to
subspecies, isolated geographic
populations,
strains and varieties, whether plant or animal.

Threatened or vulnerable species

The term groups together species
designated or likely to be designated threatened or
vulnerable under the Act respecting threatened or
vulnerable species.

Vulnerable species: any species whose
survival is at risk even though it is not likely to become
endangered.